Long Day: A Differential Diagnosis
by The Sarcastic Typo
Summary: What starts out as a normal day for Foreman quickly turns into the exact opposite. ForemanChase.


**Title: **Long Day – A Differential Diagnosis  
**Rating: **PG-13. A bit of language and suggestion. Not much else.  
**Summary: **What starts out as a normal day for Foreman quickly turns into the exact opposite.  
**Pairing: **Foreman/Chase  
**Word Count**: 1,550  
**Disclaimer: **Totally not mine. Duh.  
**A/N:** Just a random plot bunny I got one night. You know how plot bunnies get. Thanks for the beta, Kate.

It had started out as a normal day for Eric Foreman. He had entered the meeting room, retrieved a cup of very good coffee – Cameron must've come in earlier and made it, since drinking Chase's coffee was a little like drinking glorified mud – and sat down, looking at his newspaper as he awaited the appearance of his co-workers and boss.

Cameron entered first, smiled at him and greeted him warmly, as Cameron was apt to do. There was nothing unusual about that. He returned the smile and greeting before returning to his paper.

The moment Chase and House entered, however, Foreman knew it was going to be a long day.

Chase was glowing red, and House was smirking – Foreman could clearly see why. Chase had what was definitely a hickey on his neck, and Foreman groaned internally. They had always been so _careful_ – it figured that the one night they'd abandoned caution would be their undoing.

His and Chase's relationship was a peculiar one, he knew. It had started out as a mutual respect and a distant co-worker type of collaboration. There wasn't much in the way of feeling either way, in the beginning. Slowly, though, Foreman's thoughts had changed. He'd come to be annoyed by the younger doctor, and at first, he couldn't place why. Gradually, it'd built into actual resentment, and that was about the time Chase started noticing. Foreman could be professional and work with people he didn't like – _obviously, _if he'd managed not to strangle House by now – but he knew that Chase always had been freakishly perceptive.

The resultant argument had been very heated and it'd led to a passion so strong that it was ridiculous. Foreman had never felt anything like it before, and he was pretty sure Chase hadn't either.

Foreman had always prided himself on being rational, reasonable, logical, and above all else, _cool_ under pressure. He had to be, he decided, to be a successful doctor. Someone who panicked or gave in at the first sign of trouble was not cut out to work in the medical field.

Yet, while everything about his and Chase's feelings was illogical or just plain weird, he couldn't deny to himself that he needed it. And so, they forged a relationship. It had mellowed some, since the beginning, but it was still intensely passionate. Most of the time they were able to be cautious, but then things like last night happened. It had been as if someone had tossed a match on a pile of fireworks.

Chase and Foreman had been pissed off – not at each other, but at House – and again, it had manifested itself into lust. If they had been thinking more rationally, maybe they would've realized that getting too carried away was a bad idea because they worked with a curious, observant, and nosy sonuvabitch, but they hadn't exactly been thinking rationally. It was a safe bet to say that they hadn't been thinking much at all. Foreman certainly hadn't been.

And now they were going to pay for it. He sighed softly to himself.

"Chase," Cameron said, her smile faltering as she looked up. "What's that on your neck?" The question sounded innocent, and Foreman believed for a split-second that it was. However, when he looked at Cameron, there was a mischievous sparkle in her eye. Oh, great. She was feeling _playful_.As if House wasn't going to be bad enough.

"It's, uh," Chase responded, eloquent as ever. Foreman rolled his eyes.

"I believed it's commonly referred to as a _hickey_," House chimed in, utterly and completely amused.

Chase, in a move that Foreman had previously suspected was impossible, blushed harder. He pondered for a moment how red Chase could actually _get_, but then decided that it didn't matter because his business was approximately three seconds away from being all over the hospital. It didn't help that their curious, observant, and nosy boss was also one of the biggest gossipers in the whole damn building.

"You didn't tell us you were seeing someone!" Cameron added brightly, grinning. "Who is she?"

"Ah, some girl I know. It doesn't matter." Chase was always a horrible liar. It took all of Foreman's willpower not to bang his head against the table.

"If you're not going to be convincing, why do you even try to lie?" House asked. "You know, what's strange is that you've failed to brag about this hot new girl of yours at _all_, Chase, and considering I know you love to brag, that's quite telling."

Dammit, House. Why did he have to be a genius, again?

"Of course, what's _more_ telling is the fact that Foreman hasn't joined in this little pow-wow."

Shit. He held up his hands. "I'm just an impartial observer. Count me out."

"Since when do _you_ miss an opportunity to act smug?"

"What's to be smug about? So the guy finally got laid. Big deal. Can we work on the _case_, now?"

"This is more interesting than the case right now. Unless Chase would like to tell the class all about it?" House was clearly enjoying himself.

"Can't my business stay my business at all, anymore?" Chase asked, irritated. Foreman rolled his eyes again. Of course not. Had he forgotten why they'd always been so careful, up until now? House took every opportunity to pry into others' lives.

"No. Which, frankly, it surprises me that _you, _of all people, even had to ask that. I feel as though you somehow doubt me." House adopted a mock-hurt expression. "So, let's see, what could explain his hesitance to talk about the issue?"

"Maybe she's not universally attractive?" Cameron threw out, and House considered it before shaking his head.

"No, he's shallow. Wouldn't work."

"Maybe she's someone we all know," Cameron tried again.

House nodded. "An employee of the hospital, probably." He paused. "An employee of the hospital who _doesn't_ want anyone to know she's dating Chase? Can't be any of the nurses. Unless maybe she's married?"

"There'd still be rumors," Cameron pointed out. "And we haven't heard anything."

"So someone who works at the hospital, doesn't want anyone to know, and doesn't even mention it to a close friend. What woman at _this_ hospital is that close-lipped, besides, well, _you_?"

Cameron glared. "It's _not_ me."

"No, you're sober." Foreman saw Cameron shoot House another half-hearted glare before sighing and apparently focusing back on their impromptu 'diagnosis' of Chase's love life. The things this man would do to get answers. Foreman sighed. At least _Wilson_ wasn't here–

"What's going on?" Wilson asked, walking into the room.

Foreman mentally cursed. Was this his big karmic payback for some horrible crime he committed in a past life?

"We're trying to figure out who gave Chase that hickey." House pointed to the man in question.

Foreman held out one last hope that Wilson would be the voice of reason.

"Ooh, fun. Can I play?"

It figured.

"Yeah. Foreman's not helping for some reason." Cameron looked at him curiously before returning her gaze to Wilson

"What have you got so far?" Wilson asked.

"So far, it has to be someone who works here, doesn't want it spread around that they're dating Chase, and someone who's able to keep it all to themselves. What woman in _this_ hospital, though? Cameron's already been ruled out," House informed him.

"Well, how do we know for sure it's a woman?"

It just so happened that as Wilson said that, Chase had been taking a sip of his newly acquired mug of coffee. He spluttered and nearly choked, coffee spraying everywhere. He muttered what Foreman assumed were a few curses under his breath and grabbed for some paper towels. Foreman sighed again and shook his head. Well, if _that_ hadn't been the most obvious thing in the world, nothing would be.

House was positively _gleeful_ now. "It _isn't_ a woman, is it, Chase?" Chase just glared. "Foreman, you honestly can still say you're not interested, even _now_?"

"Why should I be?" Foreman asked. "Who cares about Chase's personal life? It's none of my business."

"Well, there _is_ another reason for him not being interested," Cameron spoke up. "Maybe he already knows who it is."

That girl was getting far too devious. Clearly House was corrupting her.

"But why would _he_ know and no one else? Are Chase and Foreman that of good friends?" Wilson asked.

House looked liked he was about to respond when Foreman saw realization flash on his features. "No, they're _not_, so the only way he would know would be if... Foreman, is it _you_?"

Foreman should've expected it, should've been ready with some kind of answer, but all he could do was sigh and look away. Cameron clapped her hand to her mouth and was stifling what appeared to be a strange mixture of gasps and giggles. Wilson was chuckling as he helped himself to some coffee – he mentally cursed the man's random moments of showing up when he had no real purpose to be there – and House was smirking, looking incredibly triumphant.

"You know," he said casually, that damnably smug smirk still in place, "I don't blame you. Chase is prettier than that drug rep, any day."

Foreman just shook his head and looked at Chase, who rolled his eyes.

It was definitely going to be a long day.

-End


End file.
